2007 Pan American Games • Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

USA Gymnastics

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2007 Pan American Team Finals Results
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July 16, 2007

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Illinois assistant coach and six-time NCAA champion Justin Spring produced the United State's best performances on all four of his scheduled events to lead the US Pan American team to a bronze medal at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The U.S. Men's Team made up nearly an 11-point deficit to win the bronze team medal in artistic gymnastics, finishing just 0.6 points behind gold medalist Puerto Rico and 0.3 behind Brazil, who took silver.

"Our guys showed a great deal of fortitude today," said Steve Penny, president of USA Gymnastics. "They worked together as a team to overcome a rocky start and finished strong. We are proud of the way they performed today."

"We are very pleased to come out with a medal," said Mike Burns, head coach for the men's team. "Obviously we wanted a different color, but having the struggle we had and to come away with a medal is encouraging. These guys never gave up during the entire course of the competition.

The men's team competition was split into two subdivisions, and the U.S. men were in second place by just 0.6 points after the first subdivision concluded. The six-man squad started slowly, suffering some unfortunate errors, but the team rallied to finish the last three events of still rings, vault and parallel bars by hitting each and every routine.

On high bar, Spring of Burke, Va., posted the team's highest score of 14.650. Despite a missed Weiler Kip to a full turn during his routine, Spring nailed his triple-back dismount to finish on a high note.

"I started off a little off on high bar," Spring said about the competition. "I hit my release sequence but struggled on my Weiler Kip sequence. "I did very well (on the parallel bars), but the team was outstanding on the last event (parallel bars) when the pressure was on and Puerto Rico was right there. Every guy went out and seriously hit their sets. It was really exciting. It built up at the end (of the first subdivision) and was a little nerve wracking, but it was more exciting to finish up 100 percent on our routines."

From there, Spring moved on to floor where he had a solid routine, earning a 15.150. With his best performance still to come, Spring was showing no sign of jitters in his first Pan American Games competition as he tallied the competition's highest-scored vault of the night. The 2006 Nissen-Emery Award honoree had just switched to a Lopez vault that has a 17.00 start value and nearly nailed a perfect score after receiving a 16.400.

The team competition featured a five-up, four-count system, which means that five gymnasts competed toward the team score, with the four best counting.

"It is awesome for a home country to go out and do well in front of their home crowd," Spring said about Brazil's silver medal performance. "I would be lying if I didn't say we were going for a gold medal, but getting on the podium is still an accomplishment."

In other news, in a packed arena that buzzed with energy and cheers, the U.S. women won the team title at the 2007 Pan American Games, marking its second straight Pan Am team title and 11th overall. The USA grabbed the lead after the first event and never relinquished it en route to scoring a 243.225 total to finish ahead of Games host Brazil, which tallied 236.725. Mexico was third at 223.625.

With his performances, Spring has qualified for individual finals on parallel bars, high bar and floor exercise, which will be held in conjunction with the women's event finals on Tuesday, July 17, at the Rio Olympic Arena. Spring, who did not display two different vaults during the team finals - the needed criteria to advance to event finals on the apparatus - did not advance to vault finals despite scoring the highest score of the competition.

2007 PAN AMERICAN GAMES
FINAL TEAM RESULTS

1. Puerto Rico, 353.900?
2. Brazil, 353.600
3. USA*, 353.300
4. Venezuela, 347.550
5. Cuba, 340.700
6. Colombia, 338.900
7. Canada, 333.350

Members of the U.S. Men's Team: Guillermo Alvarez, Denver; David Durante, Garwood, N.J.; Sean Golden, Camden, N.J.; Joseph Hagerty, Rio Rancho, N.M.; Justin Spring, Burke, Va.; Todd Thornton, Houston. Coaches are Mike Burns and Jon Valdez.